Olympics: Clegg calls for caution over 2012 as Olympians urge help for all

Monday 25 August 2008 19.01 EDT
First published on Monday 25 August 2008 19.01 EDT

Amid the celebrations and optimism following an outstanding British medal performance, Simon Clegg, chef de mission of Team GB, said that medal expectations should not automatically be inflated. "There needs to be some proper time for reflection. There shouldn't be a knee-jerk reaction to the outstanding performance of this team. We need to analyse the results, look at what happened underneath the medal tables," he said after the team arrived home yesterday.

"It has been both an inspirational and outstanding performance and it was a huge privilege to lead such a close-knit, motivated and successful team. I hope many of the athletes will be with us at the greatest moment in British sport when we host the Olympics in 2012."

As Clegg was engaged in limiting expectations, some top Olympians were urging the government to get behind British sport and maintain the record-breaking success of UK athletes for 2012. Triple gold medal winner Chris Hoy called for continued backing for elite athletes, but also facilities for the nation as a whole.

"We need support not just at an elite level but also facilities to encourage youngsters to take up sport, not just for the Olympics but for the general well-being of the nation."

The gold-medal cyclist Nicole Cooke took a more grassroots view and was hopeful her performance would inspire others to participate as she had "just enjoying it and that passion that drives you forward". "I would hope that this highlights road racing and that it inspires people," she added. "But if we really want people to understand the sport it is going to come from getting people riding to work and school and kids having cycling as part of their life."

Meanwhile the Scottish National Party and actor Sean Connery have called for Scotland to have its own Olympic team, but Hoy, selected to parade the British flag as part of the closing ceremony in Beijing, said the focus should now be on Britain. He pointed out for the benefit of his famous countrymen that being Scottish and being British are "not mutually exclusive".

In a mood more Ali G than Muhammad Ali, the boxer James DeGale described the atmosphere on the way back from Beijing. "We were just sitting back chilling sipping the champers. It was wicked."

The team arrived in a British Airways jet with a gold-painted nose. It looked good in the air and the pilot nailed the landing.